The first semi-final this Saturday sees the Sharks host the Cheetahs in a second versus thrid battle for a spot in the final next weekend. This is a replay of the 2009 semi-final that the Sharks went into as favourites and managed to somehow lose.

The Sharks team sees the return to the starting line-up for the full Springbok front row, with Beast, Bissie and Jannie ready to face off against the Coenie-less Cheetahs front row. Patrick Lambie will continue as the last line of defence while Fred Michalak continues his magic from the 10 position.

The Cheetahs welcome back both Johan Goosen and Boom Prinsloo to the starting line-up, with the Goosen vs Fred battle the most lip smacking of them all. Both flyhalves have been in amazing kicking form this season, with the youngster having the upper hand in the distance department.

This should be a cracking game, especially with the weather hilding up and Kings Park hopefully seeing a bigger crowd.

The Sharks have to score right after the break if they want to host the final

Comment 130, posted at 22.10.11 15:20:40 by Mutley

Common Sharks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment 131, posted at 22.10.11 15:21:49 by RuckingFun

the back line has no creativity as expected. The sooner adi comes on the better. Sharks have no game plan here, u can tell that bcos the scrumhalf is taking too long to get the ball out, he doesnt know what to do.

Comment 132, posted at 22.10.11 15:23:33 by cody007

The Sharks are going some good things out there to put FS under pressure. We just need to finish off these moves in this half.
We can still win this one.

Come on Sharks!!!

Comment 133, posted at 22.10.11 15:24:48 by beet

What on earth is wrong with the Sharks kicking?
The Cheetahs are looking hungrier for the win, I wonder if their forward advantage created a bit of complacency in the Sharks before the game started.

Comment 134, posted at 22.10.11 15:26:26 by Leviathan

The Sharks just have to keep in touch with the Cheetahs, they always concede points in the last 10min, just score after halftime and they are in for it

Comment 135, posted at 22.10.11 15:26:37 by Mutley

@beet (Comment 133) : “The Sharks are going some good things out there to put FS under pressure.”

Are you watching a re-run perhaps?

Comment 136, posted at 22.10.11 15:26:52 by klempie

enuf fooling around boys.time to play some rugby

Comment 137, posted at 22.10.11 15:27:24 by juba_fan

Sharks come back gonna happen, watch this space..

Comment 138, posted at 22.10.11 15:27:45 by RuckingFun

not looking good so far, but also not time to panic…. we’ve seen that we have them in the forwards if we keep it tight, so why not play that game? Flinging the ball around just plays to their strength, not ours

Comment 139, posted at 22.10.11 15:27:55 by robdylan

@klempie (Comment 136) : He means they are lulling the FS into a false sense of security by missing kicks and dropping the ball over the line. Also dont forget the shoulder charge from Stef on Goosen. Since that time he has missed his second career kick and a drop goal.

I really thought we had it in us to win this one, even after the disappointing 1st half.

We seemed to have their number in the scrums and lineouts and in open play our set ups definitely didn’t look like some of the braindead stuff we’d seen earlier in the campaign.

There were a lot of unforced errors but once we got clinical in the red zone, we killed off their challenged.

The Cheetahs really didn’t have anything on us.

Goosen was still one of the better players on the field. Their is a good rugby brain ticking in this teenager.

Comment 307, posted at 22.10.11 17:03:14 by beet

@robdylan (Comment 305) : i am so out of touch he had like one good game (against the sharks – and this is not always a benchmark

Comment 308, posted at 22.10.11 17:09:27 by rekinek

You and the “blogosphere” are smoking. Goosen is nowhere near the running for a Bok call-up. He’s got zero superugby experience and IMO will have a much tougher second season. Look how quickly they brought Ebersohn on when he missed his kicks. The guy’s a one hit wonder.

@SharonvanWyk (Comment 309) : Shaz, again with all due respect – you seem to be “attacking” the wrong people here on SW….Rob merely said what was going on in the blogosphere – not that it was his opinion….?

Same with Lambie @ 10…no one doubts the kid. But we have to face facts…Fred is here and as long as he is, Lambs might see himself donning the 15 jersey….and I’ll rather have him wearing that, than no jersey for the Sharks at all! (face it – he brought another dimension when he was moved to 10, but if Fred was on the ball, he would have made a special contro @ 15 too, of that I am SURE!)

Not you or anyone else who would rather see him in 10 will change that. Do we doubt him at 10? No we dont. Simple as that.